Canadian Forestry Journal, April, 1919 



"ZEPS" AND FOREST PATROLLING 



155 



Inasmuch as the Dominion Parks Branch is investigating the possibilities of a lighter-than- 

 air machine for fire prevention, the jollowing article by Flight Commander Barron, a ivell-known 

 Canadian aviator, will prove interesting : 



The public, I know, is less conversant with air- 

 ship matters and how operations are carried out 

 than with airplanes, and therefore it may in- 

 terest you to know how now to proceed, having 

 established our base and erected our tents — 

 m other words, how we should inflate and rig 

 our ships. 



This is done by spreading deck cloths on the 

 ground, on which the envelope is to lie. If this 

 protection between the envelope and the ground 

 were not afforded many punctures might be 

 caused by brambles and twigs, to the fabric, 

 which consists only of rubber and cotton, two 

 ply on the bias, with a preparation of doped 

 varnish on the outside to prevent permeability. 

 This having been done, with the necessary re- 

 quisites, such as the insertions of valves, etc., a 

 large net of strong cord line is drawn over the 

 envelope. Hydrogen is then turned in from the 

 cylinders by means of a fabric hose, and as the 

 envelope becomes inflated and rises from the 

 ground, bags filled with sand (which is the most 

 suitable form of weights) are hung on the 

 meshes of the net at each side. The envelope 

 is allowed to rise by shifting these bags further 

 down the net to a sufficient height, when the 

 car is moved to, roughly, the proper position for 

 rigging, and this is then carried out. The 

 planes for stabilizing and controlling are then 

 rigged to the tail, and the net pulled by one 

 side until it falls from the envelope. 



The ship thus rigged and ready for flight 

 would be pegged down by means of wire hawsers 

 from certain points on the envelope to strong 

 pegs secured in the ground. 



The number of men required for airship 

 operations of any kind anywhere is dependent 

 upon two things: 



1. Size and type of airships to be used. 



2. Weather conditions. 



Regarding No. 1. It is not necessary to use a 

 ship of large size for this particular work, as the 

 small low altitude type gives quite a sufficient 

 endurance for working ten hours per day and 



require less man than a larger ship whose 

 longer endurance would not be required. 



Regarding No. 2. — One of the greatest draw- 

 backs in the past, and which has not yet been 

 entirely removed, which we have experienced 

 with airships has been the number of men re- 

 quired for landing parties and handling on the 

 ground on any occasion when the air has been 

 disturbebd by wind. The drawback is being 

 greatly overcome by mechanical arrangements, 

 which we could not hope to fit up on our ex- 

 pedition now. I should think that in all an 

 ample number would be: 



3 pilots 



2 motor engineers 



2 wireless operators 



1 carpenter 



3 riggers and working party 



2 photographic ratings 

 I cook. 



Regarding the actual transportation of the 

 ship and stores: To the average person this 

 must seem rather a big job when considering the 

 packing up of an airship 150 feet in length. It 

 is not, however, as formidable as it sounds, for 

 this sized envelope, when deflated and rolled 

 up, occupies a case roughly only 12 feet long, 

 8 feet wide and 6 feet high. 



Without knowing more about conditions and 

 work to be carried out, it is somewhat difficult 

 to say just what material and stores would be 

 required, but a rough idea might be interesting. 



Apart from the ship herself and fittings, a 

 certain amount of gear would be needed to 

 establish a base for carrying out the work, such 

 as one replacement of all material used. i.e.. 

 wires for rigging and rope hawsers, one spare 

 engine, one net for rigging, deck cloths, 200 

 ballast bags and hooks, one spare stabilizing 

 plane, petrol and oil for ten hours' flying each 

 day for a period expected to take for work, 

 hydrogen equipment, personnel equipment, such 

 as tents, etc., wireless and hydrogen equipment. 



